Many road and mountain bikes incorporate wheels having hubs that are furnished with quick release assemblies that are useful for quickly attaching and detaching the wheels to and from the bicycle frame. Quick release assemblies are also utilized for seat posts and other removable components of bicycles. Most quick release assemblies incorporate a hand-operated lever that interacts with a cam, securing and releasing, for instance, the hub to and from the fork of a bicycle frame in response to operation of the lever. Because quick release assemblies allow removable components such as wheels to be removed from a bicycle frame very quickly, such removable components, especially wheels, are often stolen. Although skilled artisans have devoted considerable effort toward improving the structure and function of quick release assemblies, relatively little effort has been directed toward quick release assemblies that are designed to resist unwanted and unauthorized operation and to associated anti-theft attachments.
Thus, there is a need for a new and improved quick release assembly that is easy to make, easy to use, inexpensive and highly efficient and that incorporates unique features and attachments that prevent theft and unwanted and unauthorized use.